Believe it or not I have actually been working (a bit) since arriving here.
I had the first week off, time to readjust and all that. Then there was mid-term exams, so I also had the second week off. So I've been working around 4 weeks now. So far so good!
I came here thinking I'd be working 16 hours a week. But since arriving I've been told I only have to work 4 hours a week. 6 classes! For the same wage. Absolutely insane. I'm imagining people in full time jobs, PGCE students and whatever scheme Rach is doing getting a tad angry at this point. So I would like to point out that none of this is down to me.
The average contract for a Chinese school teacher is 16 hours/week. Anything over this and they get paid extra. So some teachers get days off, and most never have more than 4 classes a day. The basic wage in my school is around £200 a month, with most being paid £250-300 after extra lessons, bonuses and tutoring on the side. For every extra lesson they teach, each teacher gets 15yuan, £1.50! I'm told that most other school teachers get £3 for every extra lesson, this is something the new headmaster wants to improve.
In the UK you could get £200/month from being on the dole!
Considering the emphasis placed on education in this country, these teachers get paid nothing! Yes, most things are a LOT cheaper here, compared to the UK. But these are well educated people, who work bloody hard for their money and have to live in piss poor surroundings. Every single person I've spoken to hopes to travel out of China one day. Tell me how you can do that on £200/month? A return flight to China cost me around £600 return. That's 3 months wages for them. Another one of the country's ploys to keep China to itself!
I was told by a lecturer at the university that some of her students have part-time job in local shops. They work 3-4 times a week, on top of university for 6yuan/hour. That's 60p!! One piece of cake in the shop we were sat in at the time cost 15yuan. I felt so, so, so guilty for being in the country and taking their money when I was told this. I still feel guilty when I see people selling fruit, veg, knock-off ipods, rabbits, socks and hot water bottles on the street from 7am until 11pm. But then you can't kick up a fuss about it because it's China!
I did start going into detail about the government and why you can't kick up a fuss. But then I remembered that I'm in China, and can still be deported. So I deleted it. But I think you get the drift. By the way, my blog has been blocked in China (along with youtube, twitter, fb, most of bbc news), so the only way I can access it is through a VPN (got to love the tech geeks).
School in the morning is 7-11.30. The first 30minutes is for reading, then classes start at 7.30. They then go home for 2 hours. For food and sleep. Unless their parents are home, in which case it's morning homework, food and if there's time sleep. Then school at 1.30-5.15. Home for food. Some go back to school by 6.30 for another 2-3 hours of lessons. Others work at home until around 11pm. Depending on their work load. This is 5 days a week for students aged 11-17. And 6 days a week, sometimes with an added Sunday morning near the exam times. for graduation students (17-18).
I complained so much throughout school and uni. But bloody hell, we got it easy bois! I will never complain about having too much work to do again. I probably will, but I will always look back at this time and compare my life to theirs. This place makes Subway look like a dream career (extreme, but necessary comparison)!
So my classes. I teach two grade 2 classes, twice a week and two grade 1 classes, twice a week. I absolutely love it! Grade 1 are my favourite, but that's just because grade 2 put so much focus on their other exams, while grade 1 seem to be more chilled. But that's understandable with the amount of pressure put on grade 2.
Grade 1 used to clap and cheer every time I walked into the class (hell of a confidence booster). But now they just run and crowd around me, nudging other kids out of the way so they get to ask their question first. It's ever so slightly annoying, but to them it's like I'm a completely difference species. They have never seen a foreigner in the flesh before. It took a while for this to sink in, but now I can get my head around it. There is no such thing as multiculturalism in Tongling, there's a bit more in the bigger cities. But in Tongling, I am 1 of only 5 non Chinese people. You can see their pride beaming through when they speak to me in public, with other students looking. NUTS!
Lessons so far have been totally varied. The students have only just been given their text books, so now I have something solid to go by. At the beginning it was more about breaking down barriers and raising their confidence levels. In China, it's really really bad to make a mistake. So the kids wouldn't answer questions, for fear of being wrong. My tactic: say something in Chinese, which would probably be wrong. Allow them to laugh at me and make the point that they still understood me and it's ok to make mistakes. Seems to be working. Now the problem is to get them to shut up!
They have other English lessons, which focus on grammar and literature but have little chance to practise oral English...which is where I come in. I was told before hand that their oral English is "terrible". NOT the case, yes, some are better than others. But how the hell do the teachers expect them to improve if they're never given a chance to practise! GRR! It annoys me that the teachers don't praise the students half as much as they deserve.
So now the fun part...names! I can only remember a few names, there are around 60 students in most of the classes, so it''s really really difficult. It's usually a "you, with the yellow glasses", "panda hat girl" and "crazy guy on the right", which usually gets their attention and a few laughs. Again, seems to be working. I'm getting better though, and I have all their Chinese and English names (if they have one) written in a book. So with a bit of practise I should get there.
You should know that students get their English names either by a teacher in Primary School or they choose ones themselves. With most, it's obvious if they have chosen themselves. Here's a few (ok a lot of) examples:
December Jenny Bieber Lightning Vera Dragon Charletto Soso Batman Kungfu Panda Sulti Dale Momo Xman James Aurora Guitar boy Megatron Cloud Z Prince Luna King MJ Mr. Dumpling Nero Ryo Godlike Link BMW Bush Robber Apple Mr. Green Vivi Imp Belly Sunny Potter Hairpin G2C Echo Minerva Weenie
There's also a ton of Tom and Jerrys , Frank, Jack, Doris, Anne, Vivian, Jonathan, Sally and Steve and even a Sue!
Every lesson I get a random gift from a student. I've had sweets, chocolate, postcards, letters, wooden Beijing Opera heads, invitation to dine with with their parents (not really sure what I should do about that) and photos. Today I had a letter from Momo (I can't help but think of Nana Momo), saying that she loves the lessons and her last English exam was 15 marks higher than the one before. I was so proud!
I have a few stalkers (Jonathan, Frank and Flora), that carry my bags, walk me to the gate of the school in between lessons, keep asking for my phone number, and walk me back to my house after school. In Wales...weird, in China...still weird!
The long and short of it is that I have landed on my feet with the job, the apartment and the classes I teach (even with the 7.30am starts). I absolutely love my job. And right now, don't even want to think about leaving!
I would like to thank Subway for all of this. Working there made me realise that I do NOT want to be stuck in a dead-end job for my entire life (or for the rest of the year in my case) and motivated me to get the hell out of there, pronto!
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